


Child of Thorns Chibi - Short Stories

by SilverRockets



Category: Pocket Monsters | Pokemon - All Media Types
Genre: Crack, Fluff, Humor, Multi, Other, Short & Sweet, only a little bit though
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2019-11-11
Updated: 2020-12-13
Packaged: 2021-01-28 21:16:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 7
Words: 9,457
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/21398779
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SilverRockets/pseuds/SilverRockets
Summary: What does the cast of CoT do when they're not under the dark and cruel clutches of fic canon? What happens when they have time for themselves? What do these characters do with their free time? Hopefully these short stories of debatable canonical value can answer that question, and entertain some of you at the same time. (Contains Child of Thorns spoilers. Read at your own risk).
Relationships: Hikari | Dawn/Jun | Barry, Sumomo | Maylene/Suzuna | Candice
Comments: 1
Kudos: 6





	1. Boy Trouble

Inyssa stood in her living room with the poise and determination of a martyr about to carry a heavy cross.

This was, it, she realized. She was fourteen and three quarters now, practically an adult and clearly just as mature as one. The prime of her life. It would all go downhill from here, so it was finally time she stood up and seized her destiny. But before that, there was certain knowledge she needed to attain. The deadliest secret of all.

And who better to teach her than…

"Boys?" Shadi barely looked away from the book she was reading, sprawled about on the couch. "You want me to teach you… About boys."

Inyssa swallowed hard. "Well… You know, you always say that knowledge is never a bad thing so I thought… I mean, I just wanna be prepared, you know?"

There was a snap as Shadi closed the book, slowly pushing herself until she was sitting. "I see… You've finally reached that age, have you?"

"I…" Inyssa looked down, shrunk into herself. "Yeah. There's this boy that…"

"You want him as a rival, don't you?"

There was a pause, a few moments in which Inyssa was unsure if she'd heard the right words coming from her sister's mouth.

"A… rival?"

Shadi smiled to herself, looking up at the ceiling. "Ah… I knew this day would come. Let me guess; this boy you speak of has begun to question your supremacy in Pokemon battles? He claims to be stronger than you? He keeps trying to challenge you every opportunity he gets?"

"I…"

"Of course, you can't just take any chump that's interested in you as a rival. They must fit the appropriate criteria, you see." Shadi placed both palms together in a scholarly manner. "You want them to be strong, yes, but never stronger than you. They must pose enough of a challenge that you're left feeling proud and invigorated once you've trampled them to dust. As such…"

"This isn't about a rival!"

Shadi froze mid-sentence, slowly looking down at her sister with a mix of surprise and irritation at being interrupted.

"Oh… Then what is this about?" she asked. "Why else would you be interested in a boy?"

"Well… It's because I have a…" She felt the words like clumps in her throat, refusing to come out. "It's... a crush, you know?"

"Crush?" asked Shadi, tilting her head. "What does my favorite word to describe the manner in which I defeat my opponents have to do with this?" Then, suddenly, her eyes went wide. "Oh, crush! I know; it's that thing I feel every time I look in the mirror! Why didn't you say that before?"

Inyssa tried to mutter something at that, but was left without words.

She was starting to think maybe this wasn't the best idea.

"I understand now. Your feelings toward this boy are romantic in nature, yes?" Shadi giggled. "Of course. You desire his company. You want him as yours, do you not?

"I wouldn't say…"

"Putting him under your thumb is easy," she said, ignoring her. "First, you have to investigate his insecurities."

"W-what!?"

"Learn them, then use them to tear down his defenses, one by one." Shadi's smile shone maliciously. "Cut those strings that are worth nothing to you and learn to manipulate those who are; then, and only then, will he fall to his knees and realize yours is the only will he is fit to follow. Teach him his rightful place, and he will be forever your–"

"THANK YOU!" Inyssa hurried to cut her off, a panicked smile on her face. "Thank you so much for your… helpful advice, sis! I'll make sure to… Er, I forgot I left the stove on, I think, so…"

She couldn't get out of that room soon enough, though at least Shadi seemed happy that she'd been of help to her little sister. Inyssa simply sighed as she reached the kitchen. That was one option out.

Then again, it was understandable. The only member of her family that had tons of experience with romance was…

Inyssa's eyes flew open. She climbed halfway up the stairs before the thought had fully formed.

"A crush!?" Johanna's eyes sparkled with excitement, the bags under her eyes seemingly vanishing as she said that. "Oh, Inyssa, of course I can help you!"

Inyssa gasped, a hopeful gleam in her eyes. "Really?"

"Of course! I've been waiting for so long to impart all of my romantic knowledge onto you… Oh, how quick you kids grow." She wiped a tear off, sighing dreamily. "Ask away. I'll help you with _anything_ you need."

"Alright…" She took a moment to breathe and collect her thoughts. "So there's this boy I have a crush on and I was wondering if–"

"Wait." Johanna narrowed her eyes, nose crinkling. "Boy?"

"Er… Yes, he's a boy. Why?"

"Ah… In that case, I'm afraid I won't be of any help to you." She deflated with a sigh, shoulders dropping. "Sorry, Inyssa."

"WH– BUT…!" Inyssa threw her hands up in the air, out of words for a second. "YOU DATED DAD!"

Johanna placed a finger against her chin, looking up. "Well… Yes, but he was the one to seduce me, you see. Aside from that, I have no experience with boys." She shrugged. "Sorry sweetie. You'll have to figure this one out on your own."

And so it was that Inyssa was forced to resort to her last, and possibly most sensible, option. A strong woman. Head of a stable family. Happily married for years, still greatly in love after all this time.

_Yeah_, thought Inyssa, knocking on the door, _Probably should've come here first, all things considered._

Unfortunately, she had no idea what was waiting for her.

"Love?" asked Sarah as she absentmindedly filled out the Association paperwork in front of her. "Love is work, Inyssa. It is an uphill climb; a treacherous journey that you cannot embark on unless you're absolutely sure you have what it takes to make it to the other side."

Inyssa gulped. "That sounds… Complicated."

"It is," nodded Sarah. "But it is also rewarding. In the end, you will see the fruits of your labor and you will come to understand what all those hardships were leading to. You're an aspiring trainer yourself, right? Surely you know that the greatest rewards come with the greatest efforts."

"Yeah… Yeah, you're right," whispered Inyssa, a smile forming on her face.

"Which is why the first thing you need to do is open up to your significant other."

Inyssa's smile dropped. "Open up?"

"Yes. Bare your soul to them. Be as honest as you possibly can, showing them all the good and yes, also all the bad that exists in you." Sarah looked up for the first time, her expression completely serious. "Love blooms from honesty. Unless you two know each other like the palm of your hands, your relationship will not make it far."

She stood still for what felt like a long time, processing those words. When she finally spoke, her expression was blank.

"Then… you're saying I have to show weakness?" she asked. "I have to… be vulnerable toward them?"

"Yes, that is…

She broke into a fit of laughter, startling Sarah. It was hard to contain; snorts and giggles rose from her stomach and she had to put a hand against her mouth to stifle them somewhat.

"Ah… Oh man I really needed that." She wiped a tear off her eye, still giggling. "Thank you so much, Sarah. You might've not given me any advice but you're always good for a laugh, and sometimes that's all I need, you know?"

Sarah blinked. "But I did give you…"

"My head feels much clearer now." Inyssa closed her hands into fists. "You're right, being honest is only going to make things worse."

"That's not what I…"

"It'll be much safer to just play with my cards close to the chest and bury these feelings as deep down as I possibly can. Then just… hope he confesses to me."

Sarah frowned. "I don't think that's a good idea."

"Oh, thank you so much Sarah," Inyssa smiled up at her. "I know what I have to do now. Later!"

The woman stared aghast as Inyssa left with a spring in her step and a hum in her lips, the weight of responsibility lifted from her shoulders.

Sarah leaned back on her chair, and hid her face in her palms.

"Mew above… I'm never gonna get grandkids, am I?"


	2. A Champion Time

Cynthia sat stiffly behind her desk, looking down at her Poketch with a gaze intense enough to stop a rampaging Tauros on its tracks. Time was running out. A decision had to be made.

"AAAAAAGH!"

After a few more seconds of contemplation she yelled out, throwing both hands up in the air as she leaned back on her chair. Noria, her Espeon, jumped at the sound, the fur on her back standing on end. At her side, a book fell from its shelf due to the small, panicked release of psychic energy.

The Champion office was mostly bare, with the exception of a couple potted plants, a small bookshelf and the golden Champion trophy standing behind her like a sun, eclipsing her in its light. She'd never found the time or energy to decorate this place. She spent so little time here, after all.

"Ah, sorry, Noria." The Espeon frowned at her, letting out a hiss before curling herself into a ball once more. "It's just… agh! It's my day off and I don't know who to challenge!"

Another hiss, even more pronounced this time. Of course, despite being the ones who actually did the battling, every one of her Pokemon with the exception of Lorencia was tired to death of hearing the same thing over and over. But what was she to do? It wasn't _her_ fault there were only a handful of trainers in the world strong enough to challenge her. And it also wasn't… well, it _might_ have been her fault that a good percentage of said trainers had gotten sick of her calling them up for fights every week or so.

"There has to be _someone_," she muttered angrily to herself, tapping her foot under the desk. "Let's try calling Steven again."

Her Poketch beeped for almost half a minute before her call was answered. Steven Stone's voice came loud and clear from the other side, and for a moment Cynthia felt excitement build up inside her. That is, until she actually heard the words he said.

"You have reached Steven Stone's voicemail. Unfortunately, at the moment I am not available for interviews, challenges from other Champions or any other affair, professional or otherwise. Leave a voice message, and I'll get back to you as soon as I can."

Cynthia felt herself deflate, her back slowly sliding down the chair as she sighed.

"Figured. Same as bef–"

She paused, eyes narrowing.

"Hold on… that part about challenges from other Champions wasn't there last time I called."

Just then, she heard a muffled _'Oh crap'_ at the other side, followed by a beep denoting that the call had been ended.

"Ugh… Maybe I have been challenging him too many times lately," she mused. "But am I really to blame? That Metragross of him is one of the only Pokemon I've seen that can compete with Lorencia!"

Noria let out a purr from where she was resting, one which Cynthia interpreted as _'You're talking to yourself again'_.

"But who else is there?" she wondered, shaking her head sadly. "Iris? Oh but I'm sure she's got her hands full preparing for the world tournament next year. Hmm… I guess I could always call Lance. But he's just…" She straightened up in her chair, raising both hands in front of her in frustration. "Like, we get it man, you like dragons! You don't have to be so smug about it and flaunt that gaudy cape of yours everywhere you go. Why can't you just be like Iris?"

"Eoony!" purred Noria, lazily looking up at her.

"Ah… Yeah, there's Diantha, but…" Cynthia rubbed the back of her neck, scrunching up her face. "Things between us are… It's just awkward."

"Onyy?"

"What? No, we weren't… a thing. I don't like people saying that." She shook her head. "We just… clicked for a while, and then we didn't, just like that. I'm guessing she's still angry at me." She rested her face in her palm. "How was I supposed to know that offering to train with her so she became a better challenge for me would offend her like that? No, that wasn't the only reason I became close with her, but… She should've known. I saw her as a good challenge, nothing more. It's not _my_ fault she misinterpreted what our relationship was about."

At this point Cynthia knew she was just trying to convince herself. Yes, perhaps she hadn't handled that situation with as much tact as she could have, but still. Why did people make such a fuzz about settling down together? She couldn't think of something more boring than that.

"And Leon is, of course, too damn far away for me to bother," she continued, letting out another sigh. "What to do, what to d–"

The door flew open, and from it appeared Lucian, one of her Elite Four, sporting one of the grumpiest expressions she'd seen from him yet. And that was saying something. He walked toward her desk proudly, chin up, holding a small stack of papers under his arm.

Cynthia beamed at his presence.

"If it isn't the man of the hour!" she exclaimed, grinning from ear to ear. "Did you bring me what I asked for, Lucian?"

The man let out a prissy scoff, disapproval clear in every inch of his face.

"You know, if you're really this bored, I could easily think of at least ten different ways you could help me or the Association," he said. "How about looking over those papers I sent you last week?"

Cynthia simply laughed. "Come now, Lucian, what kind of sad creature would spend their day off working?"

"Someone with the barest sense of responsibility, perhaps," he whispered to himself. "In any case… yes I did some investigating, and I believe I've come across Alder's current whereabouts."

She did a quick exhale, curling her fingers in excitement. "Yes! Great job, Lucian!"

At least ten seconds passed in silence with Cynthia extending her arm out to Lucian and him not moving an inch. Her smile dropped after the sixth one.

"Are you… going to give me that information?"

The biggest shit-eating grin spread across Lucian's face.

"You specifically _only_ asked me to gather this information, so… no."

He turned around and began heading for the door.

"Wh– Hey, come on Lucian!"

"That will teach you to whisk me away from my job for such pointless reasons," Lucian muttered to himself. "I'm sorry, dear Champion, but you really should learn to–"

However, before he could finish his sentence or leave the room, the door flew open once again, almost hitting him in the face. Lucian glared at the Association employee that came through. Cynthia, on the other hand, looked up with hope in her eyes.

"I… Ah, sorry, Chief Lucian!" The girl shrunk into herself at the sight of him. She was carrying a small tablet in her hands. "Er…"

"Speak," ordered Cynthia. "You can ignore that one's grumpiness."

"Hmph."

"I… of course, miss Champion." The girl cleared her throat, then looked down at her tablet. "Er… I've been looking at the news and forums just like you instructed me, and I think I found something!"

Lucian sharply turned to Cynthia. "You've been using our employees for _what_?"

"I believe I found the current whereabouts of trainers Red and Blue, miss!"

It felt as though the air had been sucked from the room. Even Noria stopped and looked up from her nap, picking up the sudden spike of surprise and tension in the room.

Lucian sighed, hiding his face in one of his palms. "Here we go…"

The room felt as though it grew hotter, or perhaps that was just Cynthia. The storm behind her eyes flashed ominously, a sudden spike of energy rushing through her veins, making her skin itch uncomfortably. The corners of her lips quirked up, and the entire world felt the weight of her smile.

"Where?" she asked, almost hungrily.

"I… well…" The girl seemed to shiver at the sound of her voice. "It appears… They're spending some vacation time in Alola. Poni Island, if I'm not mistaken."

Cynthia was moving before she'd even finished her sentence. With a flick of her right hand she returned Noria to her Pokeball, while with the other one she grabbed onto Devias' Pokeball. Going around the pedestal holding the golden trophy, she threw the curtains behind it open and almost kicked the windows open with how excited she was feeling.

"You know," Lucian said from behind her. "Usually people don't appreciate being stalked and harassed during their vacation."

Light exploded outside the window, taking on the form of Devias, her Togekiss. Cynthia placed a foot on the sill.

"Do you have any idea how hard those two are to find?" she said. "Like hell I'm letting them go so easily."

And with that, she jumped off the window. For a second, nothing happened. Then a blurry white figure flew up in a flash, Cynthia sitting on her back, and let behind a sonic boom behind it as it disappeared through the horizon.

Inside the office, Lucian sighed again.

"Call Sarah for me, would you?" he asked the girl. "Looks like we'll be splitting the Champion's work between us for another week."


	3. Sunny-Side Up

Inyssa had never before felt so guilty over her desire to drop-kick a small, newborn creature into the sun.

"IAAAAAIAIA!"

"Barry, Lucas, I swear to god. Either you to get her to shut up, or I'm having omelet for breakfast tomorrow."

The three of them stood over Inyssa's bed. Over said bed, the little Togepi Auri was crying her little lungs out, the horrifically deafening sound bouncing off the walls and into their brains with extreme force. It certainly didn't help that Inyssa was over-sensitive to loud sounds.

"Just… hang on a second, okay?" Lucas knelt in front of Auri, looking from her to his Poketch over and over, brow furrowed. "I'm trying to figure this out… Barry, you did feed her, didn't you?"

"Of course I did!" Barry complained, crossing his arms. "I was gonna give her some leftover pancakes from this morning but Niss convinced me to buy her some baby Poke-food."

Lucas paused at that, frowning. "Barry… babies don't usually eat pancakes."

"Well I did."

"That…"

"Explains a lot, yes, we know" interrupted Inyssa. "Now chop-chop, get back to investigating. I get little enough sleep as it is, thank you, I don't need to exacerbate that any more."

Barry made a shocked face. "N-Niss? I don't… think we needed to know about what you do at night."

"What?" she turned sharply at him, then a second after realization dawned on her. "Oh, wow. That's not what that word means, dumbass."

"Oh."

The sound of Lucas tapping on the screen of his Poketch was almost as loud as Auri's crying now.

"Just… give me a second, alright?" he asked, frustrated. "There's a million points of data on Togepi here, it's not exactly easy to sort through it."

"Well that's just wonderful," she muttered under her breath.

"You know," said Barry. "I gotta give it to mom. She always told me how hard it is to have a kid, but I never imagined it would be _this_ hard. Parenting sure is tough, huh."

She shrugged. "Well you're doing better than my dad did, if it's any consolation."

"…But you don't have a–"

"Anyway, I always knew kids were little shit-spawns of the devil, but at least now I'm justified in never wanting to have one of my own."

Barry shot her an offended look. "We were kids."

"Excuse you, I was born an adult. It just took seventeen years for my body to catch up."

"Keep telling yourself that," Lucas whispered to himself.

Barry held the back of his head with his hands, letting out a tired sigh. Dark bags had started manifesting under his eyes, which, while they did look rather attractive on him, Inyssa wasn't a fan of someone cramping her style.

"I do wish Sarah was here, though," she said.

"Yeah… she was a mom. She'd know what to do for sure."

Inyssa opened her mouth, closed it, then turned to him.

"What do you mean _was_? Unless you've somehow gotten yourself killed and then brought back to life as a corporeal ghost, I think she still is."

"Oh stop being so pedestrian, Niss."

"Pedantic," Lucas corrected him.

"Yeah, that. You know what I meant; she doesn't have to look after me anymore."

She scoffed at him. "Yeah, that's my job now."

"Right. Says the girl who gets herself hospitalized every month."

"Hey how about you suck my d–"

"I GOT IT!"

Lucas stood up like he was a spring, the joy of victory on his face. Both her and Barry approached almost desperately, looking over their shoulders at the boy's Poketch.

"I think I found the reason she can't stop crying!"

"Thank Mew," sighed Inyssa. "If I had to listen to that noise for another fucking second…

Barry turned to her. "Niss? I was about to say, I don't really appreciate you using that kind of vocabulary close to the baby."

"WH–! SHE'S A POKEMON! SHE DOESN'T UNDERSTAND WHAT I'M SAYING!"

"Actually…" Lucas made a face. "That's… kind of the reason she's crying, I think."

They both turned sharply toward Lucas. He shivered at that.

"Er… Y'see, I discovered that food isn't the only thing Togepi need to grow healthy and strong. They also need… well, happiness."

Inyssa muttered incomprehensibly for a second before finding her words. "H…Happiness."

"Well, she is called the Happiness Pokemon," said Barry.

Lucas nodded. "It says here that Togepi should grow up under a trainer with a positive, happy attitude about them in order to be healthy. Good thing it was Barry who hatched that egg."

"And what's _that_ supposed to mean?" snapped Inyssa.

"O-oh! Nothing, it's just… Well, she's clearly picking up on… Er…"

"Yeah…" said Barry, avoiding her gaze. "No offense, Niss. It's just… You're not really the most peppy of…"

"Oh fuck off, both of you."

Barry sighed, letting his shoulders fall. "Come on Niss, don't be like that! We need you to get cheery and in a good mood if we want Auri to stop crying!"

"Oh suuuure," said Inyssa, voice thick with sarcasm. "Because being sleep-deprived is very conductive to good moods. Tell you what; I'll pull out of my ass this magical button I have that sends endorphins to my brain every time I press it. That should solve our problems!"

Barry frowned. "Why would you want to send dolphins to your brain?"

"God DAMMIT Barry that joke doesn't even make sense if we don't know what dolphins are! Stop being meta you fuck!"

The both of them glared at each other for a moment, until Lucas spoke again.

"Wait! I think I have an idea."

Then he approached Barry and whispered something in his ear, which only served to piss Inyssa off more. She stood still, angrily tapping her foot against the wooden floor.

"Hm?" said Barry, tilting his head in confusion. "I don't see how that'd help."

"…Wow. You're being serious," said Lucas, shaking his head. "Just do it, okay?"

"Okay, I guess."

"What are you two…?"

Then, out of nowhere, Barry walked up to her, pressed a hand against her shoulder and gave her a soft kiss on the cheek. All thought ceased for Inyssa. She froze completely, eyes so wide they could've passed for saucers.

Auri immediately stopped crying. She looked up at everyone of them, smiled wide and then let out a big yawn.

"It worked!" exclaimed Barry, throwing his hands up in the air.

"Told you so."

"Oh my gosh, thank you so much Lucas!" He gave the boy a pat on the shoulder. "Alright, I'll take her to my room so she can sleep well. Sorry for keeping you two awake!"

Inyssa barely registered the door closing or him disappearing past the hallway leading to his room. She was still somewhat paralyzed. After a few seconds, she brought one hand to the cheek Barry had kissed, and a tiny smile unconsciously formed on her lips.

Then she noticed the smug grin on Lucas' face, and immediately came back to herself. The boy shivered at the look she gave him.

"One word of this to anyone and it's your funeral, four-eyes."


	4. The Only Kid from High School who is Still in Love With You

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This scene takes place after chapter 36 but before 37, the night of the party in Pastoria. Whether it's canon or not... that's up to y'all to decide.

"Aaaanyway, sorry for bringing the mood down. Kinda s—shut…shif…shitty way to end your birthday, ha."

Drunk Niss slurred her way through the apology, struggling not only to get the words out but also to even walk. Thankfully, Barry was there to help. He put her arm around his shoulders and did his best to shuffle them both toward the Pokemon Center a couple streets away. Easy to find, as it was the only building that still had some of the lights on.

"N-no, it's… it's fine," Barry muttered, an uncomfortable look on his face. "I mean… not really my birthday anymore, is it? It's already past midnight."

"O-oh… haha, yeah I guess." Niss laughed unevenly, her whole body shaking against him with every chuckle. "Man… I'm dumb."

But Barry didn't laugh. Couldn't, even if he'd wanted to. He felt like there was a vacuum inside his chest, tightening everything behind his ribcage, turning it tense and cold. While Niss kept mumbling nonsense and smiling at him, he just… walked, trying to keep the guilt and unease from his expression.

What Niss had just told him… was it really true? Had she really been carrying onto those thoughts all this time?

_All because of Shadi and Johanna…_

His face scrunched up unconsciously, teeth clenching in anger. He felt a strange itch behind his eyes. The wind around him seemed to have stilled for a moment.

But then he closed his eyes and took a breath. No… this was on him too. Because he hadn't known, hadn't even suspected it all this time, even though they were supposed to know everything about the other. To think Niss had felt this way, had felt like a parasite on her family and he was none the wiser…

_What a great best friend I turned out to be…_

"Hm? Barry, w-whass…whassup?" asked Niss, tilting her head. "You look kinda scary there…"

He immediately wiped the look off his face and shone her a quick, warm smile. Strangely enough, that part came easy to him. It wasn't just having Niss so close, wasn't just the fact that he was holding onto her. Just, knowing that he hadn't been there before when he should have…

He unconsciously grabbed onto her more strongly, a fierce, overwhelming sense of fear and… something else, something hot and anxious that made his heart start beating faster, came over him in an instant. It was a sudden, powerful feeling which ushered back that odd itchiness behind his eyes. As soon as that came, Niss seemed to relax next to him. An aloof, lopsided smile formed on her lips.

"It's… it's okay," he whispered, trying to imbue as much confidence into his voice as he could. "Look, the Pokemon Center is right there. Let's get you to your room, okay?"

"HMmmmmkay…"

Unfortunately, that turned out to be easier said than done. As soon as they entered the building, a difficult problem presented itself to them. The stairs.

"Ugh… c-come on I can do this," Niss muttered angrily. "Piece of shit stairs…"

Even with Barry helping to guide her, Niss kept barely missing the steps every time, and would have tripped face-first into the stairs if it weren't for him holding on to her arm. After a whole minute of that, less… orthodox measures needed to be considered. Well, technically Barry had thought of it almost instantly, but it took a bit until he gathered the courage to suggest it.

And oddly enough, Niss had no problem with it.

"O-oh… well, here, lemme…"

Thank goodness for the dim lighting of the building; it did a wonderful job of hiding the clear blush on Barry's face as he carried Niss upstairs bridal style. Since their rooms were on the second floor the trip was short, but to him it felt like an eternity. Niss' arms around him, her face pressed gently against his shoulder, the feeling of her breathing against him, so close he could barely distinguish it from his own…

_N-no, come on. Stop that._

He shook his head as they reached the second floor. However, Niss didn't say anything or tell him to drop her so… well, it seemed weird to bring it up, so he kept carrying her until they reached her room. He practically kicked the door open, and couldn't quite reach the light switch so he just left the room dark as he carried Niss to her bed.

"Mmmmm comfy…" Niss let out a tired yawn as she sat on the bed alongside him. "Thanks… sorry you had to carry me here…"

Barry gulped, his shoulder tightening at the feeling of Niss' head resting on it. She let out another big yawn, practically falling asleep against him. He knew he should've said something like _'Well, guess I should go back to my room, let you get some sleep!'_ but the words felt like they didn't want to come out. Like he didn't want them to come out.

Niss blinked a few times sleepily and rubbed her cheek against his shoulder, one of her hands grabbing onto Barry's. His heart jumped.

"HmmmBarry?"

"Y-yeah?"

Her other arm came around his, pulling him closer. He felt her breathing almost against his neck and shivered.

"Thanks…"

He frowned. "For… what?"

Niss pressed against him, frowning. "Mmm… dunno. Do I need a reason, dumbass?" She snickered to herself. "Y'know, stuff. Whatever. Thanks for… being here, and all that."

"I…" He bit his lip, a mix of guilt and something… a lot stronger freezing him in place. "N-no I just… I mean come on Niss. You would've done the same for me."

"…Right."

Barry leaned slightly against her, squeezing her hand with his own. It felt like an electric shock running through his fingers. The world seemed to both focus and lose focus around him, the oppressive heat of Pastoria and the distant sounds of people and Pokemon in the night being muffled into a far-away buzz, while the feeling of Niss against him and the sound of her breathing and the clear beat of her heart through her fingers felt more real than anything else. It felt _too_ real, too bright and loud and Barry couldn't do anything except stay still and frozen, letting it boom through him.

"Mmmhey… Barry?"

"Hm?"

Niss raised her head slightly, pulling him down a bit closer. Then, quickly, she planted a kiss on his cheek.

Barry's heart tightened, eyes shooting wide open. The mess of emotions inside him felt like it short-circuited, leaving him completely frozen.

"I…I k-kfu…kinda…" Niss' grasp on speech deteriorated as tiredness and exhaustion began taking hold of her. "I k-kinda… wanna do that again. Yu-yuo-you know?"

What few words he could get out, they came out wavy and shaking. "Y-yeah?"

"Yeah… I kinda…" She swallowed nervously, her eyes hidden by the shadow of her hair. "I k-kinda… really wanna kiss you. For real."

The following seconds were a contradiction. They felt like they stretched out for minutes, while at the same time making Barry's heart feel like it was beating a hundred times faster than before. During those seconds he slowly, almost fearfully, turned his head to the side. His eyes met Niss', and it was then that realization hit him with the force of a hammer to the nose. It was the kind of powerful, earth-shaking clarity that left him cold and breathless, eyes going wide like plates. Suddenly, for one of the very few times in his life, he felt like things clicked perfectly into place.

_I…_

The shock was such that he was left a pale, unsure mess, eyes wide and expression completely lost. It felt both obvious and like an incredible revelation at the same time. He could barely process it, could barely understand…

Niss' eyes narrowed ever so slightly, their green so bright and vibrant they felt like a whole landscape of their own. Barry felt like he could lose himself in them, in all its different shades and the little, almost imperceptible specks of yellow hidden within them, for hours.

"C-can… can I kiss you, Barry?"

There was nothing in the world Barry wanted more than to say yes. For a moment, the clarity from his sudden realization and the mess of emotions he'd been feeling before combined into something else, something stronger, more tempestuous. For a moment, he wanted nothing but to grab Niss and kiss her. Kiss her lips and her cheeks and her neck and collarbone and never stop until, with that alone, he could get across clear as crystal what he felt toward her. Until she saw herself the way he saw her, until she understood perfectly just what those eyes of hers did to him when they met with his so defiantly.

For a single, doubtful second, his grip got tighter and he almost pulled her closer. Then the clarity came slightly above every other part of him, and he stopped. He closed his eyes, silent for a moment, before he sighed.

"I…"

He opened them again and, with difficulty, shone Niss a warm, caring smile.

"Tell you what… ask me that tomorrow, after you get some sleep," he whispered. "When you ask me again, I promise I'll say yes. Okay?"

Niss blinked at him, eyes narrowing with drunkenness and exhaustion.

"O-oh… okay."

She didn't seem angry or sad or disappointed, just a bit confused as she pulled back and away from him, blinking rapidly. She looked like she was about to fall asleep.

"W-well… yer,yu,you… better remember your prem-prumise-promise, then," she said, letting out another big yawn. "And… I'll try to get some sleep."

Barry smiled and nodded. Standing up from the bed felt a lot harder than he expected, but he did it anyway, letting Niss get under the covers as he headed for the door.

_It wouldn't be fair to her… Not now while she's like this_, he thought, nodding to himself. _Maybe tomorrow if she remembers this…_

It was an unlikely hope. Judging by how drunk Niss was, he doubted she would remember this come the morning, but still…

It was a hope he wouldn't mind keeping close.

"Well… good night, Niss."

He looked over his shoulder, smiling at the sleepy girl as he reached the door. Niss looked up from the blankets and gave a small, tired nod.

"Nnnnight…"


	5. Evil Niss/Good Shadi AU

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I got inspired by a talk in the discord server so here's a short scene of an AU where Niss is evil and fucked up. Obviously advanced spoilers for the real fic.

"N-Niss, please, I don't... I don't want to do this to you."

Shadi took a sudden step back, the hand holding onto Midir's Pokeball shaking violently, yet she kept it raised forward, pointing straight at the young girl as though she could shield herself against her with it. Inyssa stood before her, surrounded by almost a dozen beat up and unconscious bodies. That of their Pokemon. Only one was still standing, her whole body mirroring that of Inyssa herself, covered in cuts and scratches and a multitude of wounds.

Kricketune. Her sister's ace Pokemon.

"Hesitating? At a time like this? I expected more."

A chilling, blood-curling smile spread across the young girl's face, and Shadi felt as though the temperature of the room had dropped a few degrees. Blood ran down the girl's nose, sticking to her teeth and gums and dripping down her chin. She, however, didn't seem to notice, or mind for that matter.

"I _don't_ want to hurt you!" hissed Shadi, her voice shaking. "P-please, if I use Midir you'll... you'll both..."

"We'll what?" asked Inyssa, smile dropping, eyes going wide. "We'll die?"

Shadi couldn't bring herself to reply. She didn't want to.

"You don't have to worry about us. After all... we are not afraid of pain, are we?" She voiced the question as though expecting her Kricketune to answer, although she didn't. The same cold smile had formed yet again on her lips. "Because I finally, _finally_ figured it out, sis! It was so easy, I can't believe it took me so long to get it."

She placed her palms against her chest, as though pointing at her own wounded, barely held-together body. And yet, said body looked a lot more put-together than whatever gleamed behind those eyes of hers.

"If you want to know what you're really made of, there's one easy way to find out," she smiled. "You just need to _break __yourself_"


	6. What if Inyssa Had a Daughter

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> This idea came to me yesterday and I couldn't not write it.

Inyssa crossed her arms tightly, glaring down at the young girl sitting across from her on the couch, although she didn't seem to notice, or care for that matter. She slouched back on the seat, looking bored, finger playing with a tuft of her long blonde hair.

"So, playing the silence game?" Inyssa whispered in irritation. "That's fine. I can sit here and wait for you all day, Devi."

"No you can't," said Devi, not looking up from her finger. "I'm twelve, I've got waaaay more free time in my hands than you. If I stay here long enough, I'll miss a class or two. If you stay here long enough, you'll lose your job. So go ahead. Wait all you want."

_Punk-ass kid_, thought Inyssa, clicking her tongue. _I just had to go and teach her the art of debate._

"You might be right on that front, but there's something besides time I've got you beat at."

She knew Devi's pride would make her take the bait, because she would have too in her position. The kid froze, looking for the first time at her mother, one eyebrow raised.

"Oh yeah, and what's that?"

"Boredom tolerance," said Inyssa, lips quirking up into a grin. "I've got plenty of practice at sitting in one place doing nothing but thinking for hours. Think you could do the same?"

A hint of nervousness rose up Devi's pale face. Her eyes immediately went to her foot, which had already started tapping against the couch impatiently. More than that, Inyssa had seen her change her sitting posture three times in the past few minutes.

Inyssa's grin widened. "You're like a Pachirisu on a sugar rush. But hey, if you think you can out-lazy me, go ahead. I've got all day."

It only took a few more seconds of deliberation for Devi's resolve to crack. She sat up straight and folded her arms in much the same way her mother was doing, shooting her an icy glare which could have frozen a lake.

"Ugh, fine. God, you're _so_ annoying," she complained, shaking her head. "What do you want, hag?"

Inyssa clicked her tongue. "First off, call me that again and you lose your console privileges for a week."

"Hgh!" Devi's eyes went wide, their bright green gleaming with horror at the thought. "I… ugh. What do you want… oh dear mother of mine?"

_Same venom as before_, sighed Inyssa. _Oh well._

"I was hoping you could tell me something–"

"Yes, you're wrinkles are totally noticeable. You're getting on in age," Devi told her. "Though hey, you've had those bags under your eyes ever since you were a kid, so your face can't get _that_ much worse."

Inyssa gave her a sly smile. "That's where you're wrong, kiddo. These aren't wrinkles, they are the weathered lines carved upon the face of a hardened trainer by time itself. It is the mark of a true veteran."

"Really? I thought they were there because you never moisturize," said Devi. "Why doesn't dad have the same wrinkles then?"

"_Look_. We all know dad got all the good genes of his family, and you and I got none. That's precisely why you moisturize; because you inherited my dry skin," argued Inyssa. "Also because you for some fucking reason care about other people's opinion of your appearance."

"Wh–what the hell!?" Devi shot up, squinting at her in anger. "Weren't you the one that said my outfit from the other day was a mess? Didn't you say a lady should always look her best?"

Inyssa scoffed. "Yes, for herself, not other people! And besides, I gave you that constructive criticism out of the goodness of my heart. You told me you were going for a pastel goth look, but you were wearing a bright green scarf. It's like you'd never heard of complementary colors before."

"Oh yeah!? Says the woman who always dresses like someone's lesbian vampire aunt!" countered Devi, throwing her fists down on the sofa. "I'm perfectly capable of crafting my _own_ aesthetic, thank you very much."

"Hmph. Whatever you say, just don't come crying to me when you end up looking like a fluorescent shrimp."

"Bright colors are in nowadays. No one's into that traditional depressing goth shit anymore," Devi argued passionately. "Kids these days prefer their nihilism with a dash of sugar, in case you haven't noticed."

Inyssa let out a sigh, shaking her head disapprovingly.

"Tell me about it. Kids these days with their optimism and wanting to go outside and play all day… what happened to staying inside and playing videogames all day?"

"We do that too," shrugged Devi. "Just… y'know, at night. We know how to ration our time."

"A hopeless generation," muttered Inyssa. "Wait, no! We got totally off track from what I was trying to talk to you about."

"Well if it's anything like the rest of this conversation I'm sure it'll be a blast," whispered Devi.

"Right! It's about school." She saw Devi's face pale at that. "I got a call from your principal earlier today. Do you know what she told me?"

Devi gulped, fingers curling and uncurling anxiously against the fabric of the couch. "I'm… sure you're about to tell me."

"Apparently, _someone_ was playing a shooter game on her phone with friends when she saw a classmate getting bullied, and decided to… interfere. Very violently. Do you know who this someone might be?"

"Well… I'm not sure," Devi smiled nervously. "But whoever it was, I'm sure she beat the shit out of those bullies like they deserved."

Inyssa nodded courtly. "So it seems. I'm guessing _someone's_ martial arts lessons from aunt Maylene have been coming in handy."

"Mmmaybe." Devi looked to the side. "Look, what do you want me to say, that I'm sorry? Because I'm not. Those assholes totally deserved what I did to them."

Inyssa opened her mouth, then closed it. She blinked a few times, looking confusedly at her daughter.

"What? No… no, that's not what I mean," she said. "The fighting the bullies part isn't the problem here."

"Wh–?" Devi frowned, confused, but then her eyes went wide. "Wait, you mean…"

"Yes! Why were you playing a shooter game on your phone?"

"You… can't be fucking serious," muttered Devi. "That's what you're upset about? That I was playing games on my phone?"

Inyssa shook her head. "Not just _any_ game. First-person shooters of all things! I mean… I understand that you can't really bring a console with you to class, but I'm sure there's plenty of better games you could've downloaded to play, even to play with friends!"

Devi stared at her mother with mouth agape, trying to process what she'd just heard.

"So… your problem isn't that I fought a bunch of bullies, and it isn't that I was playing games in class," she summarized, almost whispering. "It's that the game I was playing… was a first-person shooter?"

"Precisely," Inyssa nodded passionately. "But trust me, it's not about the game's violence or anything like that. First-person shooters are just… always lazily designed. No signs of a rich lore or a fun and dynamic gameplay style or an interesting ambience and aesthetic. They are games designed to numb your emotions, not stimulate them. And I'll be damned if I let my daughter be swayed by such low-quality trash!"

The room fell to silence, both mother and daughter staring at each other with wildly different expressions and levels of interest in the conversation being had. After a few seconds, Devi fell back against the couch, closing her eyes and sighing. She looked utterly drained of her will to live.

"You are, without a doubt… the most ridiculous woman I've ever met," Devi whispered to herself. "You're such a loser, it's unbelievable."

"At least I'm a loser with good taste!" Inyssa said proudly. "Come on, give me your phone. I'm sure I can find better games for you to play during class."

"Oh my god, no!" Devi shouted, embarrassed. "Look, mom… I tried out the games you recommended to me, but they just… weren't for me, okay? I don't like the same games you do!"

"Wh–? But…!"

"Look. Sometimes I just wanna play a fun game with friends for a little while without having to read walls of text or get killed over and over or walk through a bunch of really pretty set-pieces that bore the shit out of me. Sometimes, I just wanna shoot stuff! Turn my brain off for a while! Those are the kinds of games _I_ like!"

Inyssa let out a gasp, eyes shooting wide in shock. One of her hands grasped at her chest.

"Honey… you don't mean that," she said, her voice full of emotion.

"Yes I do!" shouted Devi, face red with anger. "Your taste in games and clothes and everything else sucks! I'm gonna keep dressing up in pastel and play a bunch of shooters with friends and play outside a bunch and you can't stop me!"

Then, with that said, Devi shot up from the couch and stomped her way upstairs toward her room, face contorted in anger. Inyssa was left behind, speechless.

As she saw her daughter disappear up the stairs, a single, solitary tear ran down her cheeks.

* * *

Inyssa finished detailing the scenario to Johanna and took in a deep breath, tired of speaking.

"And that," she finished, "is why I don't want to have kids."

Johanna simply blinked at that, a lopsided smile forming on her face.

_You know… maybe it is better if she doesn't have any,_ she thought. _If this is what she thinks will be her biggest worry with a kid…_

"Well… that is a totally understandable position to have," said Johanna. "Even if your reasons are… well, anyway. There is one thing that caught my interest."

Inyssa raised an eyebrow. "Hm?"

"Your hypothetical daughter, Devi… you have ashen hair like me, but she was blonde," said Johanna. "Is there a reason for that?"

Inyssa's expression seized up. She stared at her in panic for what felt like an entire minute, then finally spoke.

"…This conversation is over."


	7. A Most Unusual Prey

_Strie d'argent_ was not only the sound a Glameow would make while choking on its own hairball, but also Sinnoh's most luxurious and, dare she say, _éblouissant _theater and opera house, located in the middle of Hearthome, like a snooty jewel atop the head of a snooty crown. Not that she had anything against places like this. It's just that, considering how little Roark paid her to be his secretary, never in her wildest dream did she think she'd come here, and to watch an opera of all things.

She glanced to the side, eyebrows knit, glaring suspiciously at the woman who'd invited her. This… Shadi was good looking, she had to admit, but she couldn't have been more suspicious if she'd tried. And it was clear she _had _tried. That black, bellowing cloak of hers, those eerily lightless green eyes, that scar in her neck and that mysterious missing arm… Some would say _'Don't look a gift Ponyta in the mouth'_, but seeing as one of Sinnoh's most famous myths involved a giant wooden Ponyta and betrayal, she found the saying about as stupid as _'Don't look a gift arrow in the heel'_.

Still, it beat eating cold pizza and watching art restoration videos all night.

The main singer for the show threw her hand up in the air, eyes closed, and finished the aria with a long, crystal-clear lament, her voice so sharp and strong it could probably break glass. She finished with a bow, the stage lights going off just a second after. Gentle applause filled the theater, and while her 'partner' couldn't quite follow suit, she did lean back on her seat and let out a glad sigh.

"This first half was a bit lacking in theatrics, maybe, but that voice of hers is like a dagger to the heart. In a good way, of course," said Shadi. "Don't you agree, Mint?"

Mint made a so-so gesture with her head. "It was... something alright. Not really my cup of tea, but I guess variety's the spice of life." She shot Shadi a side-glance, arms folded. "I'm more impressed that you could afford the tickets. Don't get me wrong, but you don't look like a woman of means."

"Oh, I am a woman of many means, just not the usual kinds," grinned Shadi, her eyes flashing ominously. "In all honesty, getting whatever you want in life is more easy than one would think. All you need is to know where to apply the right pressure, if you catch my drift."

"So… you stole them."

"I…" Shadi's smile turned into pursed lips. "Yes. Yes, I did steal them."

Far from being angry or uncomfortable, Mint simply raised one eyebrow slightly and whistled appreciatively.

"Nice," she whispered. "These fuckers have it coming if you ask me. That's what they get for never having the performances recorded and selling the tickets for an arm and a leg. Bunch of greedy fucks."

Shadi looked surprised, but she recovered quickly, once again drawing that smile of hers.

"It's a shame, yes," she whispered. "But if everything were free, then it wouldn't be quite as fun to… take it for yourself. Especially when you're not meant to."

Not only did her voice seem to deepen unnaturally at that last sentence, but Mint could have sworn the black of her cloak shifted slightly, as though it were made of woven shadows.

She simply raised an eyebrow. "You know... you phrased that like a real asshole, but I kinda know what you mean."

Shadi's expression froze again. She wasn't quite getting the reactions she'd been hoping for, which could only mean that she had to… step it up a notch.

She chuckled to herself, looking down toward the stage, where the second act was just about to begin. An idea took form in her mind. Mint made for quite the charming company, yes, but what fun was there if she didn't spook her a little bit at least? As such…

"I have to wonder, though…" she said. "If this show couldn't use a bit more... spicing up. I'd be mortified if I didn't show my date the most interesting time possible, after all."

"I was really hoping you'd say 'good' instead of interesting," muttered Mint. "What do you mean, though?"

The giddiness in Shadi's face was hard to miss as she finally got Mint to take the bait. Subtly, a smile on her face, she turned to look at the girl and, just at the right moment, made her eyes flash that faded, icy blue as the shadows around her thickened, pooling around them.

"Oh, I'd be more than happy to show you."

And at that, Shadi stood up and raised her hand, thumb pressed against her middle finger. There was a snap, and the stage below fell into absolute darkness. Deep, thick shadows seemed to fall from the ceiling downwards like some sort of liquid, and Shadi's shadow itself stretched in all directions like they were strings, attaching themselves to something behind the red curtains.

Mint's eyes went slightly wide, but judging by the lack of reaction from the rest of the audience, they couldn't see the shadows like she could.

"...Huh."

"Now, how about I show you a real spectacle?" said Shadi, her voice soft yet booming with power. "Let us begin our little Aria of the Abyss."

Lights illuminated the stage once more as the singer emerged, but they were… wrong. Askew, uncanny, as though it were only a pale imitation brought about by the absence of shadow instead of by the presence of light. As the singer took a step forward and threw her hand up, her voice came out… different. It was still that sharp, beautiful falsetto they'd heard before, but this time it was laced with something else. A booming that dulled the senses. It made the song sound more like a lullaby than an aria.

Stranger than that, however, was the way the woman moved. Erratically, jolting everywhere like she was being moved by strings. Not to mention her eyes were closed the entire time. And as if that weren't creepy enough, as she was moved about like a puppet, dancing and gesticulating alongside the rhythm of the song, something else happened. Thing, sharp-fingered limbs of darkness emerged from the ground around her. Some of them pushed her up when it looked like she were about to fall. Others grabbed her limbs and tried to pull her down before she freed herself and continued the song.

Then, almost at the end, a few dozen of them erupted in a ring around the woman, grabbing onto every part of her and covering it entirely in shadows. She was engulfed for a few seconds, and then the shadows poofed into smoke. The smoke thickened, solidifying into a substance half between gas and solid which now formed the singer's new dress, black as obsidian. After that, when she resumed her song, it was deeper, more melancholic. Like a lament for someone who had passed.

And all throughout, the audience was loving it. They probably thought these were some amazing special effects, and considering that both Shadi and Mint were in the highest spot in the theater, no one could see her partner standing up, moving her one arm like she were moving a baton, directing the entire thing.

When the end finally came, the singer smiled, eyes still closed, and bowed in a manner that was very uncanny and robotic before exiting the stage, eliciting much applause from the audience.

"Ah… now that should do it."

Shadi's eyes returned to normal. She looked all around the audience, clearly enjoying the praise, and with a proud _'Hmph'_ she sat down again and let out a pleasured sigh. Then, trying to quell her excitement, she turned to look at Mint again, an expectant smile on her face.

It didn't take long to drop. Mint didn't look spooked in the slightest. As a matter of fact, she was leaning back on her seat, smoking a cigarette, nodding appreciatively at the stage below.

"A… are you smoking?" asked Shadi, her voice thin. "In a theater? I… don't think you're allowed to do that."

Mint shot her a glance that seemed to say _'Are you for real right now?'_

"Hey, you invited. You can deal with the consequences if I'm caught," she shrugged. "Anyway… that was a pretty neat trick. And you're right, it did spice up the show a lot."

"O-oh… thank you?"

Shadi looked like a Magikarp out of water, and as soon as that almost imperceptible smug smile formed on Mint's lips, she realized she'd been had. All her attempts had been for nothing.

"Don't feel bad," said the girl. "Your thing's cool and all, but before I was Roark's secretary I worked at retail since I was fifteen. You could bite a baby's head off and I wouldn't bat an eye."

"...I see."

Mint noticed the disappointed look on Shadi's face and rolled her eyes. Still…

"Like I said, it was fun. And hey, it's not like I have anything else to do for the rest of the night," she said, taking a drag of her cigarette and shooting Shadi a meaningful glance. "Wanna come over to my apartment after this?"

As much as she tried to stop it from happening, a slight blush did inevitably form on Shadi's cheeks.

"That… sounds nice, yes."


End file.
